ABP News Exclusive: "Inspector Subodh threatened to open fire at the crowd", claims Bulandshahr violence accused Shikhar

Bulandshahr violence accused Shikhar Agrawal, who is a leader in BJP's youth wing, also claimed the presence of a “fauji” in the crowd, who was threatening all those who were trying to pacify the crowd on the behalf of authorities.

BJYM leader and Bulandshahr violence accused Shikhar Agrawal; Image: ABP News screengrab

New Delhi: Days after the tragic Bulandshahr violence, ABP News talked to accused Shikhar Agrawal who is one among those booked for inciting violence and resorting to vandalism. Agrawal alleged that Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh who died during the mob violence provoked the crowd. He also mentioned about presence of a “fauji” in the crowd. Shikhar Agrawal, who is the president of Syana unit of BJP’s youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, refuted all the allegations against him of being involved in any violence or murder. On December 3, a mob of some 400 people rampaged through a village in Bulandshahr apparently after cow carcasses were found in a jungle nearby. During the violence, Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a 20-year-old man died of gunshot wounds. Denying his involvement, Agrawal said that he had received information about carcass of cows (which he referred to as mother) found in nearby Mahav jungle. When he went there he saw that the place was strewn with cow carcasses. He said his first move was to take the carcass to police station and lodge a complaint, but Inspector Subodh who was present at the site wanted him to dump the carcass there itself and then go to file complaint. This, Agrawal said was not unacceptable to him, as he would then not have any proof that cows have been slaughtered in the area. The carcasses were loaded in a tractor and were taken to police chowki, he said, where a large number of outraged Hindu people had gathered and the SDM requested him to talk to people and pacify them. “When I thought of going to talk to people and pacify them, one person with a loud voice started protesting and threatened that anybody who would side with the authorities would be badly beaten. He said our mother has been killed and anybody who will try to become leader at this moment will not be spared,” Agrawal said. “The man was around 26 to 27 years in age and was of strong built. He was being addressed as “fauji” (soldier) by the people”, Agrawal claimed. He said that the crowd was growing bigger and hostile but the police was not making proper arrangements. He alleged that inspector Subodh who was present at the spot then instigated the already angered crowd, by saying that he would open fire at them. “Inspector Subodh was armed and so were the other policemen. He provoked the crowd to violence by threatening to shoot them, if they did not disperse,” Agrawal alleged. “I then went to SDM and complained that the inspector was threatening to shoot us all. The SDM asked me to go home as I was getting calls from home where salt was being unloaded from trucks”, claimed Agrawal who is involved in salt trade.  “After I came home, I was informed by one of my men that firing had taken place at the site.” Agrawal denied the reports claiming the entire episode to be pre-meditated and said that it could only be a sudden incident that broke out following the situation. Agrawal also denied the involvement of Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj in the matter. On being asked why is he on a run when police is looking for him, Agrawal said that he would surrender in the court as he does not have faith in the police. He alleged that police vandalised his home. Both Agrawal and Raj are among those who were named in an FIR lodged by the Uttar Pradesh police against at least 80 people. The UP police is looking for both Raj and Agrawal after the incident. The UP government has formed an SIT to look into the violence and identify the perpetrators. Police on Saturday night arrested army man Jitendra Malik who is accused of killing inspector Subodh. Watch ABP News' exclusive talk with Bulandshahr violence accused Shikhar Agrawal: